1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for opening and closing a sliding armrest console, and more particularly, to an apparatus for opening and closing a sliding armrest console preventing an armrest in a sliding operated state from being arbitrarily released by a vibration during a drive in an opened state.
2. Description of Related Art
A console having an armrest structure which is installed between a driving seat and a passenger seat of a vehicle has a function that a passenger puts his/her arm thereon and is also used as a storage space.
FIGS. 1A and 1B are perspective views showing an armrest console of a general sliding scheme and FIG. 2 is a view showing a problem occurring when using the armrest console of the general sliding scheme.
As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the armrest console of the general sliding scheme according to the related art has a structure including a console body 10, an opening and closing plate 20 rotated at an upper portion of the console body 10 to open and close an upper surface of the console body 10, and an armrest 30 slid from the opening and closing plate 20.
In this case, a front end portion of the opening and closing plate 20 is provided with a hook 40 provided so as to be rotated and controlling the opening and closing of the opening and closing plate 20 to the console body 10.
Therefore, while a handle unit extended from one side of the hook 40 is manipulated, the hook 40 is integrally rotated, a locking between the opening and closing plate 20 and the console body 10 is released, and the opening and closing plate 20 is rotated, such that an upper portion of the console body 10 may be opened.
Meanwhile, since the armrest 30 is provided so as to be slid from the opening and closing plate 20 by external force by a user, when the user wants to use the armrest 30, the user pulls and slides the armrest 30 in a front direction as shown in FIG. 1B. In this case, since the user does not operate the hook 40, the locking between the opening and closing plate 20 and the console body 10 is not released.
However, when the user wants to open the console body 10 in a state in which the armrest 30 is slid in the front direction, it is difficult for the user to manipulate the hook 40 due to the armrest 30 moved in the front direction. Therefore, the user should open the armrest 30 by first sliding the armrest 30 in a rear direction and then rotating the opening and closing plate 20.
However, in the case in which the user rotates and opens the opening and closing plate 20 by manipulating the hook 40 without completely sliding the armrest 30 in the rear direction, the opening and closing plate 20 stands erect in a vertical direction in a state in which the armrest 30 is opened, as shown in FIG. 2. As a result, the armrest 30 downwardly falls due to own weight and a vibration of a vehicle, such that noise may be generated or damage to the user may be caused.
The armrest console of the sliding scheme according to the related art as described above had the problem that it is difficult to manipulate the hook 40 in order to rotate the opening and closing plate 20 in the state in which the armrest 30 is slid in the front direction and the problem that the armrest 30 arbitrarily falls due to the own weight and the vibration of the vehicle once the opening and closing plate 20 is rotated in the state in which the armrest 30 is slid.
Therefore, a technology capable of rotating the opening and closing plate by manipulating the hook independently of a position of the armrest has been proposed and used. For example, in Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 10-2005-0058574 entitled “Apparatus for Opening a Sliding Armrest Console”, a technology capable of operating a locking unit independently of a position of the armrest by delivering operating force of a button unit to the locking unit using a cylinder pressure has been disclosed.
Therefore, the technology disclosed may rotate the opening and closing plate independently of the position of the armrest and may also prevent the armrest from being arbitrarily fallen by the cylinder pressure even though the opening and closing plate is rotated and stands erect in the vertical direction in the state in which the armrest is slid in the front direction.
However, since the button unit and the locking unit are connected through a cylinder, when the armrest is slid, the armrest should be slid by force stronger than an internal pressure of the cylinder. Therefore, it is very difficult to move the armrest and there was a limit in rapidly operating the armrest because the internal pressure of the cylinder acts as friction force to the movement of the armrest.
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art